August 22, 2007 - The Knightstown Town Council voted unanimously Tuesday evening to hire Danny Baker as the town's new chief of police.

According to council member Cort Swincher, a standing-room-only crowd of more than 30 people were on hand for last night's special meeting. Swincher said the room erupted in applause following the council's vote to hire Baker, who had been serving as the Knightstown Police Department's interim chief since July 18.

During a private executive session that preceded last night's public meeting, Swincher said the council conducted final interviews of Baker and one other applicant for the chief of police job, Larry Johnson, a former Indiana State Trooper who retired from the Delaware County Sheriff’s Dept. Swincher said the council also interviewed four applicants for the position of patrol officer, voting to hire two of them - KPD reserve officer Derek Hall and Joseph Priest.

Baker will begin his duties as chief of police immediately, and Swincher said Hall was expected to be sworn in and start as a patrol officer today. Priest is expected to begin work on September 20.